ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Increased competition, government incentives and shrinking materials prices could put the cost for some electric vehicles on par with gas-powered cars as soon as this year. (New York Times)

ALSO:
• Electric vehicles made up 16% of California’s new vehicle sales last year, but researchers say most states are about five years away from those levels. (Utility Dive)
• The Biden administration announces a $2 billion loan for an electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Nevada. (The Hill)
• Ford is expected to announce as soon as today plans to build a $3.5 billion lithium iron phosphate battery plant about 100 miles west of Detroit. (Reuters)
• A new training program in Maine aims to teach mechanics how to service electric boats in hopes of speeding their adoption. (Energy News Network)

EFFICIENCY:
• Federal researchers develop dense, insulating foam panels that can be attached to building exteriors to cut heating and cooling energy usage by as much as 75%. (Canary Media)
• Induction stoves still face several barriers to adoption, but one startup is reducing some of them by equipping its stoves with batteries. (Canary Media)
• The Biden administration proposes new efficiency rules for refrigerators and clothes washers. (The Hill)

OVERSIGHT:
• A small business trade group and the U.S.’s biggest steel producer are among stakeholders pushing the federal government to soften requirements that federal contractors set emissions reduction goals. (Washington Post)
• The U.S. EPA prepares to roll out six new rules governing coal plant pollution, with a goal of spurring coal plant retirements. (E&E News)
• A federal watchdog decides the U.S. EPA’s denial of renewable fuel blending exceptions for small refineries was an “order,” not a “rule,” halting potential congressional efforts to overturn the order. (Politico)

CLEAN POWER: Minnesota’s new 100% carbon-free electricity law is expected to spur tens of billions of dollars in investments in wind, solar, and storage projects, bolstered by last year’s federal Inflation Reduction Act. (Star Tribune)  

OIL & GAS: Navajo Nation residents accuse an oil and gas company of illegally irrigating grass with wastewater, sparking a debate about how to recycle contaminated water that accompanies crude pumped from wells. (Capital & Main)  

CLIMATE:
• Climate commitments from 24 global companies are “misleading” and “wholly insufficient” to meet international goals, two environmental groups find. (Grist)
• As climate change threatens skiing, Mikaela Shiffrin and other top athletes call on the sport’s governing body to ramp up its sustainability efforts. (Guardian)
• Texans build mutual aid networks to help each other after extreme weather and power outages. (Texas Tribune)

OFFSHORE WIND: New Jersey offshore wind advocates say those using recent whale deaths to slow wind development are “cynical disinformation” campaigners and haven’t cared about the mammals’ welfare before. (USA Today)

PIPELINES: A proposed CO2 pipeline still faces resistance in western Illinois despite the developer’s offer of up to $18.9 million for county support. (Inside Climate News) 

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Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.